Actor Rupert Everett has won the 2013 Sheridan Morley Prize for Theatre Biography for his new memoir Vanished Years.
The jury, which is chaired by Ruth Leon and comprises theatrical and literary practitioners and a previous year’s nominee, said of the book, “It has been an extraordinary year for theatre biographies, but even in a very strong field, Rupert Everett's Vanished Years was a clear winner.
"It's just plain fun to read, and is a firsthand account of the everyday life of a working and highly successful actor from the inside. Surprising, hilarious and wise.”
With Everett on the shortlist were Simon Callow for Charles Dickens and The Great Theatre of The World, Arthur Laurents for The Rest Of The Story, Michael Pennington for Sweet William, Sue Prideaux for Strindberg, A Life and Kate Bassett for In Two Minds: A Biography Of Jonathan Miller.
The Sheridan Morley Prize for Theatre Biography is in its sixth year and is awarded for the best biography, autobiography or diary in theatre or show business published in the preceding calendar year. The winner receives £2000. For further information visit thesheridanmorleyprize.org.
Rupert Everett is currently playing Oscar Wilde in The Judas Kiss, David Hare's biographical play about Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas, directed by Neil Armfield.
Vanished Years is published by Little Brown.